Supplier Development Engineer

Vital Lyfe•Los Angeles, CA

3d•$100,000 - $116,000•Onsite

About The Position

Vital Lyfe is seeking a Supplier Development Engineer to build the supplier network supporting a field-deployable water system. The role will architect quality and reliability into the supply chain from the outset and help transition a prototype into a scalable product. The position involves creating supplier management systems, developing a resilient supplier network, qualifying and assessing suppliers, and establishing technical and quality standards across new product introduction and production. The engineer will partner with internal engineering teams and suppliers to ensure parts, assemblies, processes, and metrology meet requirements. They will own supplier quality issues through investigation and corrective action, conduct audits and risk reviews, monitor supplier performance, and provide on-site technical support as needed. This is an onsite role in Torrance, California; remote and hybrid work are not considered. Vital Lyfe develops innovative desalination systems to address global water scarcity. The company offers the opportunity to work on water security and climate resilience, take early ownership in a growing engineering-led startup, and build long-term career equity as the company grows.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, such as Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial, or equivalent.
Experience in supplier quality, NPI, or manufacturing engineering in hardware, climate technology, or industrial systems.
Familiarity with QMS tools and standards, such as ISO 9001, PPAP, FAI, Cpk, and PFMEA.
A hands-on approach and comfort designing processes and working with operators and equipment to validate and refine them.
Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work in an ambiguous, higher-growth environment.
Clear communication across teams.
Ability to work 100% onsite in Torrance, California; remote and hybrid work are not considered.
Ability to perform hands-on work on development and production hardware; stand, crouch, and walk for long periods; lift up to 50 pounds; and wear required PPE in production areas, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Nice To Haves

Excellent communication and problem-solving skills in fast-paced, cross-functional environments.
A track record of owning difficult problems end-to-end and delivering under real-world constraints.
A builder’s mindset and a systems-level view of manufacturing.
Experience in a hardware startup or mission-driven organization.

Responsibilities

Architect and implement supplier management systems that provide traceability, accountability, and quality control.
Develop and scale a resilient supplier network aligned with cost, capacity, delivery, and quality targets.
Lead supplier qualification, onboarding, and technical assessments, including DFM reviews, process flow validation, and QMS audits.
Define and enforce technical and quality standards across new product introduction (NPI) and production.
Partner with internal engineering teams to ensure suppliers understand and can meet part, assembly, and metrology requirements.
Manage supplier issues from non-conformance reports (SDRs) through CAPAs, RTVs, and production quality investigations.
Work directly with vendors to resolve recurring issues and drive process-level improvements.
Conduct supplier performance audits and risk reviews, and implement corrective actions as needed.
Provide on-site technical support as needed to improve manufacturability, process stability, and specification compliance.
Monitor supplier metrics and trends to proactively mitigate risks and improve operational performance.
Source and evaluate suppliers with capabilities in materials, fabrication, and metrology.
Build and enforce scalable supplier governance and escalation frameworks.
Create processes where none exist and drive excellence in established processes.
Work hands-on with development and production hardware and with operators and equipment to validate and refine processes.